1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the fabrication of semiconductor-based electronic circuits, components, devices, and elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor materials, typically in the form of a wafer, are widely used, primarily to fabricate various useful electronic circuits, components, devices, and elements (referred to herein generally as electronic devices). For example, standard passive and active circuit elements such as transistors, diodes, resistors, capacitors, and conductors may be formed in integrated circuits (ICs) using the semiconductor material wafer as a substrate.
In addition to ICs and components of ICs, other electronic devices may be formed using semiconductor materials, such as thermoelectric devices; photovoltaic devices (solar cells); and optoelectric devices such as light emitting diodes (LED), laser diodes (LD), and photodetectors. Thermoelectric devices can convert temperature differences into a voltage (Seebeck effect), or conversely, generate temperature differences in response to a current (Peltier effect). In such devices, a p-type semiconductor element and an n-type semiconductor element are electrically connected in series. When the two dissimilar elements are subjected to different temperatures, the Seebeck effect causes a voltage to be generated across the junction. A Peltier effect type temperature difference may be generated by applying a current to such a device, e.g. for cooling purposes. The suitability of the materials used for such a thermoelectric device depends primarily on the xe2x80x9cfigure of meritxe2x80x9d parameter. The figure of merit is based on the material type evaluated at the perceived operating temperature of the thermoelectric device. The higher the figure of merit in the temperature range of the thermoelectric device, the better suited the materials are for a thermoelectric device.
Semiconductors may also be used to fabricate photovoltaic devices which produce electrical energy when the semiconductor materials are exposed to visible or IR radiation (light). A typical photovoltaic cell, commonly referred to as a solar cell, is composed of an interface between an n-type semiconductor material and a p-type semiconductor material. A thin transparent layer of n-type or p-type material is deposited on a p-type or n-type material, respectively, to form an active p-n or n-p junction. When the junction is exposed to visible or nearly visible light, in a solar cell application, electron-hole pairs, or minority charge carriers, are created at the junction. These carriers at the n-p interface migrate across the junction in opposite directions, producing an electrical potential or voltage difference. IR photovoltaic devices may also be fabricated, as well as Schottky barrier photovoltaic devices.
Various semiconductor materials are employed for such purposes. Silicon (Si) and Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), for example, are very commonly-used semiconductor materials. Conventional semiconductor materials have various drawbacks. For example, the smallest possible electronic device feature size which can be fabricated using such a substrate may be too large. In addition, semiconductor devices based on Si or GaAs, for example, can withstand temperatures only up to about 200xc2x0 C., thus limiting or complicating the range of applications. Silicon-based solar cells have a half-life of only about five years in space-based applications, due to silicon""s susceptibility to radiation damage. Semiconductor materials with improved properties are therefore desirable.
In the present invention, there is provided a method for fabricating electronic devices. First, an actinide oxide semiconductor material is provided. Next, an electronic device is fabricated using the actinide oxide semiconductor material.